McReggae wrote:
I don't think mutch has changed in the African football vis a vis the world, FIFA ranking which are based on International matches have constantly showed the top African team between 14-25 save for the era around 1994 when Naijja rose to number 5!!!
FIFA ranking aside, Africa has plummetted. In 2010, only Ghana progressed beyond the group stage but even they stumbled out of the group phase only on goal difference after loosing to Germany and drawing with Ozzie.
Naija topped their group in 1994 and 1998 and finished bottom and pointless in 2002 and bottom in 2010
SA almost reached the 2nd round in 2002 missing only due to goal difference and then flopped badly at home in 2010 even loosing 0-3 to Uruguay.
Morrocco were classy in 1986 and reached the second round then in 1994 they were bottom of their group with no points.
Cameroon almost reached the semis in 1990 then in 1994, 98 and 2010 they were bottom of their group sometimes with no points
Algeria shocked West Germany in 1982. Only match fixing prevented them from progressing to round 2. Then they finished bottom in 2010. Even lost to USA and Slovenia
Tunisia beat Mexico 3-1 in 1978 and forced West Germany to a draw. Then in 2002 and 2006 they played poorly and finished bottom of their group.
CIV had their golden generation in 2006 and 2010 and on both occasions flopped. A starke contrast from Senegal's golden generation in 2002 that reached the quarter finals.
As for Ghana, they did not record any upsets in 2006 and 2010, they only beat USA and Serbia. Upsets used to be a forte of African teams.
That is some serious regression by African teams. Africa looked very promising in the 1990s.